Abdul Akim Bangura of Alie & Santos Clearing and Forwarding Agency was on Saturday 27thNovember 2010 elected unopposed as chairman of the Association of Clearing and Forwarding Agencies in Sierra Leone.

Electoral Commissioner Madam Elma Johnson described the elections as transparent and fair. “Only one candidate surfaced for the chairmanship and he was elected unopposed to serve a term of two years,” she explained.

In an exclusive interview with the Awareness Times, the new chairman said the association was formed in 2001 with the primary aim of uniting and seeking the welfare of Clearing and Forwarding Agencies in the country.

Mr. Bangura said over 90 agencies have been registered as members of the association, adding that the association is guided by the Cargo Clearing Act of Sierra Leone which was enacted in the Sierra Leone Parliament in 1974, and as amended in 1986.

According to him, the Act recognizes them as a third party in the business known as ‘Customer Brogake in the Modern World’.

The Chairman furthered that as per the dictates of the act, no business person or individual has the authority to directly transact his business with the relevant tax authority except sanctio0ned by clearing and forwarding agencies as legitimate third parties. “As an association, we see it fit to intensify moves at increasing our numerical strength and security in order to protect the goods of our clients,” he posited.

The Chairman said his new executive will soon embark on sensitizing the general public on the duties of the association in order to ensure sanity and proper understanding of their business, while promising to enhance development for their membership.